Just a gentle reminder about true productivity today...

I think back over client projects through the years, and I realize I've often apologized for what I once saw as "short" work sessions. "I only spent three hours on this," I'd say, even when those three hours produced exactly what the client needed. It took me far too long to recognize that I was measuring creative work with the wrong tools.

Then I remembered my two heartleaf philodendrons on my windowsill. Some days, I can swear they are growing right before my eyes. Other days, they appear unchanged for weeks on end - but beneath the soil, their roots are stretching deeper, growing stronger. Nature doesn’t apologize for taking the time it needs.

This got me thinking about how we measure creative productivity. We’ve inherited a factory mindset: more hours = more value.

But creativity isn’t manufactured - it’s grown. Sometimes it needs intense bursts of energy, like the first spring shoots breaking through soil. Other times it needs slow, quiet periods of integration, like roots expanding in darkness.

BOTH are equally important.

Your creative energy is like a garden. It has natural cycles of growth and rest. When I finally embraced this truth, something remarkable happened: my “shorter” work sessions began producing better results than my marathon days ever did. Because I wasn’t forcing growth - I was nurturing it.

This week, I invite you to experiment with your own creative rhythms:

• Notice when your energy naturally blooms
• Protect those peak moments like precious seedlings
• Trust that quiet periods are not unproductive - they’re essential for deep roots
• Measure your day by what flourished, not by how long you tended the garden

Remember: A garden doesn’t bloom continuously. It pulses with the seasons, alternating between vibrant growth and quiet restoration. Your creativity follows similar patterns. Honor them.

What’s growing in your creative garden this week? How are you learning to trust your natural rhythms?Be sure to subscribe to the No More Lists newsletter for introvert-friendly, right-brain productivity and project management tips.